The flamboyant dog-trainer who last night stole the first show in the new series of Britain’s Got Talent has revealed that her husband is battling cancer.

While Donelda Guy, 66, delighted the nation with her dancing dogs, Mega and Biba, her appearance on the popular ITV1 show was in stark contrast to her home life while husband Alan is being given chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer.

Mother-of-two Donelda delighted the audience by saying she was ‘66 going on 45’ and good-naturedly joked that her only failure in life was her husband.

Delighted the nation: Donelda Guy with her dancing dogs Mega & Biba

But off-camera she revealed: ‘One of the reasons why I am doing this is because of what has happened to Alan.

‘Nine months ago he was diagnosed first with diabetes and then pancreatic cancer. I want there to be more research into the condition.’

She added: ‘Taking part in a show like this gives me a platform to talk about it.’

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The grandmother-of-three, who has been working with dogs for more than 40 years, said she was hopeful her husband would make a full recovery. ‘He is a fighter and I think me taking part in the show has livened him up.’

An estimated ten million viewers tuned into last night’s show. Donelda was voted through to the later rounds, along with nine-year-old comedian David Knight.

Michael Collings impressed the audience with a rendition of Tracy Chapman's Fast Car

Another favourite was unkempt singer Michael Collings, who performed a haunting rendition of Tracy Chapman’s song Fast Car.

The computer engineer was delighted to be compared with Susan Boyle, who appeared on the show in 2009 and also impressed viewers with both her voice and idiosyncratic appearance.

Michael said: ‘I think she was awesome on the show. But that is not the reason why I wore what I did. I looked like I did because that’s the way I dress.’

One of the other big successes was husband-and-wife handbell-ringing duo Alan and Gay Cooper.

The pair, whose eccentric manner initially provoked derision from some in the audience, brought the house down with a rendition of My Heart Will Go On, the Celine Dion classic from the film Titanic.

Gay said: ‘By the time we got to our turn the audience was quite excitable. It was a bit off-putting but there was no way I was going to get off before we played our first note.’

Alan and Gay Cooper won over the audience with their bell-ringing take on Celine Dion